Jeep sudden acceleration accident at auction

[LeakySeals]

A Jeep Grand Cherokee suddenly accelerated into a crowd at an auction killing 2 (currently) injuring several others. I'm wondering if the prior owner and/or dealer knew the Jeep was doing this, why it was at the auction. And if this makes anyone liable for death.

http://www.wcvb.com/article/vehicle-cras...es-sent/9598692

 

[OVERKILL]

The article says Jeep Cherokee, not Grand Cherokee, FWIW.

It also does not say whether it was unintended acceleration or not. The person driving it piloted it into people, rather than other cars. Be interesting to see what further details come of this.

 

[LeakySeals]

I know what the article says, but the live news here is saying it was a Grand Cherokee. The witnesses say the thing just took off, I had a GC limited that took off on me so I think maybe they have it wrong in the article. The sudden acceleration being the reason it was at the auction is purely speculation based on the history of this problem.

 

[Andrew1972]

It was likely GC as cherokees are long rotted away to dust and not worth hitting an auction.

Sad story.

 

[LeakySeals]

Its unfolding and the story above was retracted. Its now 3 dead, 12 injured. Latest info is the Jeep was headed to the auction floor when it took off. The driver chose to avoid the other cars in line, plowing into the crowd then through a brick wall.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
It was likely GC as cherokees are long rotted away to dust and not worth hitting an auction.

Sad story.


The new KL bodystyle is called the Cherokee. That thing with the ugly front end.

Yes, auto manufacturers, let's keep making everything controlled by computers. Sounds like a great idea. Electronic throttles were the dumbest thing ever invented. Nothing like turning something reliable and simple into an over complicated safety concern.

There are several videos on youtube of hackers breaking in and being able to control the new KL Cherokee. Brilliant, just what we want in today's society.

The guy driving it also sounds pretty dull. Avoiding other cars, which could potentially stop it from taking off, and steering towards a crowd.

 

[dishdude]

Looks like a previous gen GC to me. '05-'10. You can see the RF door in one of the slideshow pics.

 

[ksp7498]

Call me cynical, but almost without fail, claimed cases of "unintended acceleration" end up being driver error...

Remember that whole Toyota unintended acceleration scandal a few years ago? The final official DOT report said that a few of them were caused by improperly installed floor mats, and the rest were just people pressing the wrong pedal and panicking.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The MECHANICAL rod type throttle linkage hung my 4bbl carburetor wide open when the motor mount broke on the drivers side. Mid 60's GM B body

Two foot brake stomp and key off in 2 seconds.

Todays tragedy happened at an auction place in Billerica MA. 20 mins from where I am working this minute.

This seems to be a freak accident not a terror act at this time.

 

[LeakySeals]

I think its a regular Cherokee if you look at the grill spacing and tail lights in these pics.




Look at the huge crowd there this morning. 1500 people packed in like a rock concert. Can't get a deal with that many people bidding I bet..

 

[ksp7498]

That's another good point. This board tends to have an automatic kneejerk against anything computer controlled, but I think electronic throttles are probably actually safer because old style throttle cables and rods can (and did) stick. I knew someone that had the throttle cable stick in a late 80's oldsmobile. She hit a tree and knocked out her front teeth on the steering wheel. Lucky it wasn't worse.

 

[OVERKILL]

This is a 2007 Grand Cherokee:

And this pic from the accident appears to match:

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ksp7498
That's another good point. This board tends to have an automatic kneejerk against anything computer controlled, but I think electronic throttles are probably actually safer because old style throttle cables and rods can (and did) stick. I knew someone that had the throttle cable stick in a late 80's oldsmobile. She hit a tree and knocked out her front teeth on the steering wheel. Lucky it wasn't worse.


Yup, I've had the linkage on an SBC fetch up a few times; certainly far more than I've ever had an electronic throttle go WOT on me (zero times).

 

[OneEyeJack]

Sounds like 1980's Audi all over, again. Audi nearly became a footnote in the automotive industry over unintended acceleration. Audi engineering called it "stupid" and he media called it the second coming of [censored]. The media almost won. Public demonstrations proved the brakes were far more powerful than the engine and even with all that. a case actually when to court where the driver claimed that the car "ran away with him" no matter how hard he pressed on the brake pedal. He even claimed he threw the ignition key out the window and the car still ran on.

Audi recovered buy many US dealers did not. Audi sales in the US nearly went to zero. Resale value of any vehicle with an Audi badge went right down the drain. Audi customer service even before all this was arrogant and non responsive. The warranty was only 24 months and if you had a problem you had to go to war with Audi to get anything done. The cars were problematic with electrical problems leading the way. Fuel pump failures were so common that the solution was to wire a new, separate circuit, anything to stay away from those melting fuse blocks. This is to say nothing of the carbon build up problem that required removal of the intake and exhaust manifolds to bring on the media blaster.

All this forced Audi to reinvent itself and what you see today is the result. Unintended acceleration is a real problem. It may have nothing or very little to do with engineering and the actual function of the accelerator pedal or cruise control but reality can take a back seat to the media and the courtroom. Manufacturers have learned to pay attention and respond with every resource they can bring forward. The consequences are too terrible to ignore.

 

[KrisZ]

The person piloting this vehicle should be scrutinized first. These types of incidents usually turn up to be user error.

 

[bubbatime]

Article said he steered away from the cars to avoid hitting cars and aimed towards the people. If that is true, what an idiot.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
The person piloting this vehicle should be scrutinized first. These types of incidents usually turn up to be user error.

True, but there is a history of complaints about sudden acceleration with this vehicle.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
This is a 2007 Grand Cherokee:

And this pic from the accident appears to match:

Interesting the bottom pic shows the front fender was replaced not painted. So it had hit something in front once before. Hmmmm..

 

[zorobabel]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
a case actually when to court where the driver claimed that the car "ran away with him" no matter how hard he pressed on the brake pedal. He even claimed he threw the ignition key out the window and the car still ran on.

Unrelated, but the first time I tried seafoaming through the brake booster vacuum line, I had instructed my helper (neighbour) to shut down the engine when required. The car was a 99 Camry 5SFE. After sucking 1/3 of the can through the vacuum line, I call my neighbour to stop the engine... engine still running - I started yelling at him to stop it... until he innocently showed me the keys; he had the ignition turned off the first time I requested it. After a number of seconds it dawned on me to plug the vacuum hose with my finger and the engine stopped.

My comment related to the topic - driver is at fault for the deaths.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

I want to say "probably" driver error, but the fact that he may have steered to avoid cars and because of that chose people pretty much proves he's an idiot and probably undeserving of a drivers' licence in the first place.

"Unintended Acceleration" doesn't mean the vehicle is the cause; it just means whatever happened wasn't intended. Some people have a disconnect between brain and body.

Physics tells us that a vehicle's brakes can always overcome it's engine, but time is critical with any stopping action so precious seconds can lead to disaster. Slow speed operation is actually more dangerous as there must be some reason why you aren't free to drive at speed in the first place, so you may not have the luxury of distance or maneuverability to keep safe outcomes preventable.

Still, being overwhelmed by his situation meant poor choices and reveals poor driving skill.